Electronic devices that use computing apparatus to provide visual information to users via one or more displays are now in ubiquitous use, for example, as portable electronic devices in the form of handheld computers, smart phones, tablet computers, and laptop computers, and as non-portable electronic devices in the form of desktop computers or smart televisions. The display or displays that provide visual information from the electronic devices to the users may be separable from and coupleable to the electronic devices, or may be integrated therewith.
The electronic devices may generate user interfaces for display on the display coupled to the device for facilitating user interaction with, and operation of, the device via one or more user inputs. The user interfaces comprise visual elements that can be arranged in various manners on the screen. The visual elements provided in the user interface may together represent elements of, for example, an operating system of the electronic device and applications supported thereby. Indirect interaction, typically by pointer-based user inputs such as trackpads, trackballs, mice and cursors, and direct interaction, typically by touch-based user inputs such as touch screens and multitouch screens, can provide controls usable to allow interaction with the user interface. User interfaces having a desktop environment that include windows, icons, menus and a pointer as visual elements are known whereas user interfaces having a more touch-friendly paradigm may also be provided. Touch-based mobile devices may include both touch-friendly and desktop environment user interfaces between which a user may alternate, if, for example, an external keyboard, mouse and display are connected to convert the touch-screen mobile device into a more conventional computer implementation.
The user interfaces provide relatively user friendly means of control of electronic devices and applications. Nevertheless, users are often required to perform a large number of interactions on the electronic device in order to cause the electronic device to execute an application.